Every Camry sold in North America is the product of over 7,000 skilled American team members. From design and engineering in Michigan to assembly in Kentucky, a unique American touch goes into each Camry.
Although this review is on the hybrid model of Toyota's 2016 Camry, it also is a plug for all hybrids.
These vehicles that are powered by a combination of an electric battery system with an internal combustion engine are economical marvels.
The midsize hybrid sedans from all manufacturers should average 40 miles per gallon while using unleaded gasoline from the fuel tank. Our tested Camry hybrid averaged 39.1 mpg on mostly interstate highways and four-lane roadways with two adults aboard. Hybrids perform best in city and suburban travel where the electric component kicks in more often.
The Environmental Protection Agency rates the Camry hybrid at 40 mpg city and 38 mpg highway. In the city, that translates into paying for two gallons of unleaded gasoline every 80 miles. The non-hybrid four-cylinder 2016 Camry is rated at 25 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. To reach that 35 mpg average takes careful, thoughtful driving. Besides the normal driving mode, the Camry hybrid has an ECO mode for less gas power and an EV mode for battery-driven power. EV means the car is running on electric power only, and this mode is confined to speeds of less than 25 miles per hour. Fuel usage will fluctuate mildly depending on the mode chosen.
Midsize hybrid (front-wheel-drive) sedans with their four doors and room for five occupants have more appeal to buyers in the United States as they are bigger than the compact or subcompact offerings on the market. They are family sedans useful for short or long trips. These midsize hybrids weigh from 3,300 to 3,600 pounds.
Although fuel usage is an attractive feature of hybrids, they do have at least actual and potential drawbacks. The trunk area is smaller than that of a strictly gas-powered sedan. Battery packs require storage and trunk space is sacrificed to make room for them. In the Camry, that means 13.1 cubic feet of trunk storage instead of 15.6 cubic feet.
Acceleration should be slower in a hybrid and that has to be taken into account when passing traffic on busy highways. The hybrid Camry has been media tested in racing from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.7 seconds, but that is better than the norm. Normally, a midsize hybrid sedan will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 to 9 seconds. The hybrid Camry has better acceleration than the company's gas-powered, non-hybrid four-cylinder powerplant.
A potential drawback is the complexity of the power system and longevity of battery packs. They should wear down but, after a good decade of use in the U.S., the evidence shows they can last a long, long time. Studies have shown that battery packs are still functioning after 250,000 miles. Manufacturer warranties are in the eight-year and 100,000-mile neighborhood. That is precisely Toyota's warranty on hybrid components (batteries, control modules, inverters, converters). Other powertrain components have a five year or 60,000 mile warranty. The limited warranty is three years or 36,000 miles.
Depending on manufacturer, replacements 10 years ago cost $8,000. That cost has been reduced in recent years and manufacturers differ on price. If there is a defect in the complex gas-electric system, of course, Toyota will repair under terms of the warranty.
Toyota calls the electric-gas power process a Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The system has three permanent magnetic motors. Each of the two 650-volt generators can account for a maximum of 167 horsepower. One of the two generator motors drives the front wheels. A third motor generator with a maximum of 67 horsepower drives the rear wheels. The nominal voltage is 288 and the maximum power output is 45 kilowatts. The battery packs are regenerated during braking.
A combined 200 horsepower is the result of electric motor powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack working in concert with the 2.5-liter, inline, dual overhead cam, four-cylinder engine. The power componentry is mated to a continuously variable transmission.
External and interior measurements of hybrids mimic or are the same as that of the non-hybrids. For example, in the Camry, the leg room of the hybrid is the same as that of the non-hybrid, 41.6 inches front, 38.9 inches rear.
Suspensions and brake systems, wheels, tires, interiors, exteriors do not differ.
A $27,995 SE hybrid Camry was tested recently and gave evidence of Toyota's upgrade on trim for 2016. The cloth seats (leather on top-of-the-line $30,000 XLE model) were of top quality and surfaces, such as the dashboard and door panels, were softer. On the exterior a mundane body has been replaced with a sportier look.
Inclusions are power front and heated seats as well as power and heated exterior mirrors, power door locks and four express windows, remote keyless entry, pushbutton start, rear view camera, cruise control, zoned heat and air conditioning plus a sound system that includes Bluetooth for hands-free phone capability, satellite as well as AM-FM radio, compact disc player, USB and iPod ports, auxiliary audio inputs, a navigation system, seven-inch touchscreen and Entune, which includes a navigation system with up-to-date traffic and weather plus a multimedia bundle. That bundle includes various apps.
The tested car had a lighted glove compartment, two 12-volt power outlets, self-dimming rearview mirror with compass, 10 airbags, halogen headlamps, fog lights in front, puddle lights at the door sills, 17-inch alloy wheels with P225 tires, rain-sensing variable intermittent wipers, and a chrome-tipped exhaust tip.
Besides 10 airbags, safety highlights were traction and stability controls, antilock braking system, tire pressure monitor, seatbelts with headrests for five, brake assist and smart stop technology. In automotive media testing, the Camry hybrid has come to a stop from 60 miles per hour in a distance of 126 feet, average for this type of sedan.
The hybrid costs more than a Camry powered solely by a gasoline engine. The entry 2016 non-hybrid Camry carries a manufacturer suggested retail price of $23,070. The entry (LE) hybrid model has an MSRP of $26,790. Check at a dealership for more precise pricing details as company incentives come and go.
Camrys for sale in North America come from a Toyota plant in Georgetown, KY.
FAST FACTS
Vehicle: SE hybrid model of
2016 Toyota Camry Type: front-wheel-drive, five-passenger, four-door midsize sedan
Price: $27,995
Power: 2.5-liter gasoline engine combines with electric generators to produce 200-horsepower
Transmission: continuously variable
Fuel tank: 17 gallons
Fuel: regular unleaded
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
Length: 190.9 inches
Width: 71.7 inches
Height: 57.9 inches
Ground clearance: 6.1 inches
Weight: 3,485 pounds
Tires, alloy wheels: 17-inch
Brakes: discs front and rear
Leg room: 41.6 inches front, 38.9 inches rear
Trunk: 14.1 cubic feet
Assembly: Georgetown, KY
Warranty: three years or 36,000 miles with roadside assistance, five years or 60,000 miles for gasoline powertrain, eight years or 100,000 miles on electric hybrid componentry